Sam LaChow (Seattle rapper)

Sam LaChow is a rapper, producer and videographer from Seattle. His latest single “Happy Music” is available everywhere now. In this episode we discuss music, sobriety, mental health, Seattle and more!

00:00 - Intro
00:13 - Seattle, Garfield High & Landmarks
04:00 - Touring & Seattle Venues
05:45 - Living in Seattle
07:05 - Sobriety & Addiction
10:20 - Career, Happiness & Psychology
14:00 - Fans, Fears & Failure
21:10 - Lucky Lefty Song & Video
22:20 - Kendrick Lamar & Drake Beef & Roasts
24:30 - Growth, Outside Validation & Helping Others
29:10 - Social Media & Promotion
31:10 - Motivational Speakers & Other Podcasts
33:00 - Pets
35:00 - Walking, Dieting & Health
36:50 - Arizona & Live Shows
38:30 - Accompanying Musicians & Musical Style & Fanbase
40:50 - Seattle Musicians
42:40 - Drugs ,Withdrawals & Psychedelics 
46:10 - Working Out
47:25 - Wasting Time & Productivity
49:10 - Going to A.A. Meetings & Wisdom
51:50 - Motivational & Inspirational Speakers & Meditation 
55:00 - New Music & Promotions
57:08 - Outro

Sam LaChow links:
https://found.ee/samlachow?fbclid=PAAaY6y8bbowPe-G6Oyguafqmo1cPZGRtSfU28dW1TZcadjq5h3B-h8zJA1DE_aem_AUSHpPJoSI_QDuvtYT1ZFdLyHyenw_ZSNfP-LjjsccOiyLSG_00-YV90qsyJbusz-7I

Chuck Shute links:
https://linktr.ee/chuck_shute

Transcript

Sam LaChow: 0:13

I've been good. It's been an interesting few weeks been trying to get up and getting out of town a bunch just to sort of, I don't know, stay away from the city. And you know, try to get creative and get my mind. Right. But I'm doing alright. How are you?

Chuck Shute: 0:32

Great. Yeah, I appreciate you doing this. We're both from Seattle. So that's kind of cool. Like, actually, and it's funny because a lot of people know me for my rock interviews, but I started music really get into rap when I was a kid. So this is kind of going back to my roots here. It's kind

Sam LaChow: 0:47

of cool. Oh, awesome. Where are you from in Seattle?

Chuck Shute: 0:50

I grew up in Issaquah. So some stereotypes you have. I

Sam LaChow: 0:55

can't think of any but because you

Chuck Shute: 0:57

were in like the, like, literal city of Seattle, right? Yeah,

Sam LaChow: 1:01

I grew up in the central district. Then I live in Capitol Hill right now.

Chuck Shute: 1:07

I'm trying to remember was Garfield high school, right? Yeah,

Sam LaChow: 1:10

that's where I went. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 1:12

there's was there any famous people there when you like any, like people that end up playing college football or NFL or? Yeah,

Sam LaChow: 1:18

for sure. Are not really that are still in the league or anything, but uh, Tony wroten. He played for the Sixers for a bit. He was two years younger than me. He's a good friend and good friend of mine named DeAndre Coleman. We call them biggie. But he played for the dolphins. It was a lot of athletes there for sure.

Chuck Shute: 1:39

That's cool. What about in Seattle? What are your favorites like landmarks venues to play restaurants Hangouts? I know you said Matt Mac valleys and scooped as your two of them.

Sam LaChow: 1:50

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Machiavelli's it's an that's an effort now I believe. Okay. Um, scooped is your Yeah, that has it has. No one knows about it. It's like a hidden gem. They it's an ice cream shop, but it has like the best burger in town. I will die by that. Making that right there for you. It's one dude. So so good. And then any any place with with fresh seafood. You know, Seattle has some of the best seafood. I'm a big crab oyster guy.

Chuck Shute: 2:20

Yeah, I would just go down to that, like the pier. And I think there's a place I might even just be called like the crab pot or something. You can go down there and they'll just fix you up to this like plate of like fresh seafood. And it's like amazing. That's my favorite shit ever. Yeah, that's really just the weather. See? That's what I moved to Arizona ducks. I just got the weather just it got to me after a while. I was like, I can't deal with this, like gray skies every day and not seeing the sun for weeks. Does that ever bother you? Yeah,

Sam LaChow: 2:46

um, it's starting to get nice again. And now it gets dark around like eight which is nice. Because for a while there it was. It was it was fully dark at like five. And especially for someone like me who struggles with sobriety and trying to stay mentally well, those short days long nights can really get to and but something always draws me back to the Pacific Northwest. I just love it.

Chuck Shute: 3:15

So does it help your your mental? I guess health or whatever that was like when you would go like you go down to the pier and what and watch the ocean waves and stuff does do those kind of like being with nature, I guess and see.

Sam LaChow: 3:28

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Like my dog. Like my dog helps me so much. Because he gets me to take walks constantly. I live in a nice neighborhood where there's lots of great trails and parks. So I just I tried to stay outside as much as I can. And Seattle's just so beautiful, especially this time of year. But I know I know. I should during the winter. Probably go somewhere else. But it's hard to leave home.

Chuck Shute: 3:55

Yeah, at least for like a vacation or do you mostly just do shows in Seattle? Or do you tour like nationwide?

Sam LaChow: 4:02

I toured nationwide. I've never toured overseas. That's definitely that'd be a dream. Hopefully one day. But yeah, I've toured nationwide. I do I do well, on the West Coast, East coast a little a little bit in the Midwest at some places. And I'm planning one for this fall is the goal. Oh, really? Yeah. My first tour in a while since before, or I guess. Yes. My first tour and maybe two years.

Chuck Shute: 4:32

Okay. Yeah, yeah, well, then then, you know, we had that obviously, we had the pandemic and stuff and that always like

Sam LaChow: 4:39

that. I hadn't. Yeah, COVID canceled one of my tour. And then we were able to put one together once venue started opening up again, but it was still kind of, you know, tough to get people out. But now things seem to be people going to shows again and things are back to normal.

Chuck Shute: 4:58

Yeah. What is your face? favorite venue to play in Seattle. You must have played all the clubs at this point. Yeah,

Sam LaChow: 5:06

I have different reasons for loving different ones. You know, my favorite. The biggest venue that I ever sold out myself was the showbox market. That's right in right by Pike Place Market, you know? And then, but maybe my favorite, just for like sound and neighborhood and stuff is new most I've played that many times. And then I'll always have love for chop suey. It's called also in Capitol Hill. It's smaller, but that's where I played my first show. That's where I sold out my first show a lot of love for that little that little room. That's cool.

Chuck Shute: 5:41

I see. I haven't been to Seattle in a while. I mean, because there was a pandemic, so I couldn't come back to visit very much. And then I think I've only been back once or twice since then. I'm coming back in June. But last time I was there. I think it was during the all star game. So they cleaned up a lot of the city. Is it? Did they keep that up? Or is it kind of fallen on hard times again?

Sam LaChow: 6:00

Um, do you do you remember when the whole Chas and shop thing happened here? Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 6:08

Yeah, they're doing something at U DUB right now. I know that.

Sam LaChow: 6:12

The city that dirty up the city a little bit and it was Tent City everywhere, kind of for a while and I think, I don't know. To me, it looks like they're always gentrifying and cleaning up the city, but I don't know what's going on. It's

Chuck Shute: 6:29

not affecting in the neighborhood. You're out. You're okay. You don't have to deal with a lot of Not anymore. Not anymore. Okay. Which part because now you're, you're just telling the city of Seattle or which Capitol

Sam LaChow: 6:38

Hill Right.

Chuck Shute: 6:39

Okay. That's the nice part, right.

Sam LaChow: 6:41

I mean, there's different areas of it. There's, I live in a more residential area, which is really nice. Yeah, I love it. But um, there's also like the bar scene of Capitol Hill, Pike and pine. And that's where that that was my old stomping grounds. You know, that's where I would. That's where pneumos is. And that's where I used to do have the most of my drinking career was spent in those bars. Right.

Chuck Shute: 7:03

So now that you do the sobriety percent silver right now, California silver, you still smoke? Like you're just you quit everything. All right,

Sam LaChow: 7:11

I'm still figuring it out right now. I had, I had nine months of cutting everything out. And right now I am figuring out which kind of medication helps me and doing the AAA thing. And yeah, I'll have a better answer for you with that. And, you know, hopefully a few months, but right now, I'm just taking it day by day. And yeah, not not California. So I gotta do the full thing.

Chuck Shute: 7:37

Yeah, I mean, I feel like that's kind of like a lot of people are they're either all in, or they're all out. I mean, I feel like I'm kind of like that in a lot of ways. Like, I look at people that I'm like, Oh, you can you can just drink like one beer. Like, what? What's so that's so? Ya know, I will say one thing that's helped me is just getting older. I feel like I'm like, when I was in my 20s and stuff, and it'd be like, okay, yeah, let's, let's tie some off, you know, and it's like, now, when you're in your 40s you're like, you don't want to do that. Like you just you lose the desire. It's not it doesn't even sound fun anymore. I'm like, no,

Sam LaChow: 8:09

absolutely. That's what's what's fucked up for me. Can I curse? So

Chuck Shute: 8:13

yeah, fucking get

Sam LaChow: 8:16

that, like, I don't desire it at all anymore. The idea of going out getting fucked up having a hangover. Anytime I drink, I always end up getting a bag of cocaine and staying up for days on end. And like, that doesn't appeal to me at all. But at some point, my brain will trick me into attempting to do it anyway, as if it'll still be a party. But it hasn't been a party for years. You know, it's my last time using was just me alone, you know, as depressing. I was, you know, making music or whatever. It's not it hasn't been a party for a long, long time. But like, my brain will still trick me into chasing that high from when it was when the from the good times. You know what I mean?

Chuck Shute: 8:59

Right? No, I was just listening to this podcast about I don't know, if you've ever listened to Huberman I know, he had a big scandal. So his personal life? I don't know. But I know he's like, he's a Stanford, you know, psychologist or wherever. So he knows about addiction. Yes, talking about sobriety and addiction and, and it's like this dopamine thing, and it's like, that's what you're chasing. And it's not only with like, drug and alcohol, but people can use it for so many things. I mean, that's why you see like, you know, gamblers anonymous and like people get addicted to everything. I mean, I felt like I'm a phone and like, and so there's all this thing it's like you're chasing this dopamine fix that you got and then but you get like numb to it and then it's it doesn't work anymore. It's so weird. It's fascinating. Oh, weird.

Sam LaChow: 9:40

Yeah, I'm definitely yeah, like sex is a big one. And then like I have a YouTube addiction a pretty because I can't I can't even go to the bathroom without my phone. So I'm working on that right now. And it's, it's clearly like, use

Chuck Shute: 9:55

the boiler on the bathroom like that's, I feel like that's pretty common, right? It's cool. I'm

Sam LaChow: 10:00

in but like, I'll get to the point where I'll go to the bathroom and then decide, wait, let me grab my phone first. Just kind of I don't know. And it's just clearly a coping mechanism. Because if I, when I'm watching videos on my phone, I'm distracting myself from reality, you know, and shit I have to deal with. So I'm I'm working on being more present. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 10:20

What is I mean, cuz your reality seems pretty good. You're young guy. Pretty successful musician. I mean, it seems like your career is going well.

Sam LaChow: 10:28

Yeah. But I've learned that career especially and like financial success and stuff has nothing to do with my happiness a state of state of mind. I could be, you know, there was a point where I was doing better than I ever thought I would, financially and just career wise. And it was maybe the most depressed I'd ever been, because it was I had this feeling of Wait, is this it? Now? What now? What do I chase, you know, I, I put too much emphasis on success and money and women and, and not enough on, you know, I'm I can be, I'm happiest when it's just me at a park with my dog, you know, I don't need much. And when I get stuck inside here, my in my mind, it's not a good place to be. And that's something I'm working on as well. But like, no matter where I go, no matter how successful I get, I'll always be with myself. You know, I can't I can't escape this. So yeah, hopefully that makes sense. No,

Chuck Shute: 11:38

yeah. I mean, I think that that definitely sounds like something they tell you in AAA, I feel like when I used to work with some of those people, and I feel like that that is a lot of the language that you're using is language that you stay out of my head. I went to an AMI one time as part of a psych class. And a lot of the people said the exact same thing like, Yep, I just was getting too much into my head. What does that mean for you? Like, like, just your thought, like, what kind of negative thoughts do you have? Because that's what I'm saying. Like, like, when you look on the surface, I mean, it looks like things are going pretty well. Like what? Yeah, so that's kind of what it is. You personal? I mean, one of the things you want to tell me, but I just don't know. Yeah, no, I

Sam LaChow: 12:17

like talking about this stuff. Because I'm still figuring it out. You know, and yeah, a lot of a lot of stuff is things that I learned in therapy and in things like AAA. You know, I feel like I've grown a lot in the last three or four years, way more than my whole, you know, I'm 33 now and my entire 20s Were like, I felt like I was kind of stuck in one place. You know, it was it was a party. And it seemed it looked good from the outside. But um, what does it mean to be in my head? I think it's kind of what you said that from the outside, things look good, and things should be good. But there's been times where I almost quit music because my brain literally tricked me told me that no one wants to hear from me that I suck that you know, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of what is it called when you impostor syndrome type stuff? Where I just don't feel like, yeah, anyone wants to hear what I have to do that what I'm doing is stupid with it. And it's all it's like, a dark cloud is over me that can that controls that. And now I'm in a space with where and when I think about that, that time of my life. It sounds it sounds ridiculous. Because I had, you know, fans like begging for my next release. And I had and I was just, I was doing something I love to do for a living like how lucky am I you know, but my hedge, it can trick me into thinking. Fuck this, like, and yeah, so a lot of it is just practicing gratitude, remembering what you got not thinking about what you don't, you know, it's all the cliches are true.

Chuck Shute: 13:59

Right? But like, I just want to explore that like, what like, because let's just say because I think I have a lot of the same insecurities, but I feel like you have a lot more success than I do. So like, you know, I My thing is like, Oh, what if I put out this podcast and nobody cares. And that's a lot of times it's true. I put out a podcast, I it doesn't get like met very many views. But if that happened to you, if you put out a single and let's say it got zero views or zero listens or zero downloads, I mean, what does that say about you that that you were people or failure? Or that you just you had one song that

Sam LaChow: 14:32

yeah, so or I think for me, it's more my stuff will get strained because I do I've built a core fan base over the years, which I'm very lucky to have. So but the fear is more will they hate it, you know? And where I'm at right now, one thing that helps me is I put out a new song every four weeks, so I kind of get to just be like, fuck it. If they don't like this one, I'll hit him. I'll hit him in four weeks with the next one will you know and just go And that gives me room to experiment. You know, I've put out projects that I love, but I knew wouldn't get streamed as much, because it's not, it's not the fun music My fans are, or they expect for me, or whatever the case may be. But um, yeah, and I just heard a good quote also, from David Letterman, he said, Whatever you do, make sure you fail doing it, doing it exactly how you want to do it. So I think failure isn't something you should fear. What you should fear is not trying. And as long as you're putting stuff out, you can live with that, you know, it doesn't matter if it doesn't work out in the way you wanted it to, like, do it your way. And, you know, I can live I can live with, with that I can, but I can't live with being too scared to fail that I don't put anything out. Right?

Chuck Shute: 15:57

Well, I think for me, because I think it's similar to music with a podcast, it's like, I can chase the views. And I can chase the clicks. And I can have, I can do like a gossip show or like, you know, I knew, I know, you kind of figure out like what people are going to be into pretty quickly. And then and but then you can also figure out like, what you really like to do? Yeah, versus and I think that you're probably the same thing, like you probably know, like, if you really wanted to, you could put out a really popular song, you know that, but it wouldn't be really what you want to do. But necessarily we're Yeah, we've got a song that you really like, and you're very proud of. And it might not be as popular. Yeah,

Sam LaChow: 16:35

but it's something that I'm happy with. And yeah, absolutely. And another way that plays in with my line of work is I know, there's things I can do, like, make a song geared towards things like tick tock, and put out a shit ton of videos for using the same clip of that song over and over again, and spend so much energy on the promotion of it, and less on the actual quality of it. And, and that would probably end up making me a lot more money or more, give me more clicks or whatever it may be. But it's not what I want to do. That sounds that's That sounds just like anxiety inducing work. To me. It doesn't sound artistic, it doesn't sound enjoyable, at least for me, but I know there's there's, you know, successful people out there that they care less about the music and more about how they market themselves, you know, and I'm just not wired that way. Right?

Chuck Shute: 17:39

I think for me, too, like I had this musician on to and he was kind of saying a similar thing. Because of the record label, like wanted him to do songs a certain way they wanted him to like cover current pop songs and things like that. And he was just like, he's like, I don't want to do this. And then it's like, you kind of think back like, like, where do you want to be in 3040 years, like when you're older, and you're looking back on your career, you want to look back on your career and be proud of the music that you made and say I made really good music. I'm really proud of this, or do you want to look back and go, Oh, God, I sold out? And it was just in cringy? No, yeah.

Sam LaChow: 18:14

No, absolutely. And that is one of the things I'm most proud of, is just that I've done it all independently. And I so I know that in the future. can look I'll always own all my music, you know. And there's there's always a part of me that kind of thinks, you know, my, my fan base is fairly small compared to mainstream artists, but um, they're very loyal. They and they really, they really enjoy what I do. And maybe when even after I'm long gone, they'll it'll get another another group of people will find it. And you know, who knows? I just want to Yeah, I want to be proud of my catalog in the end. Even the stuff that that sucked, because I have stuff out there. My first album, I didn't really know what I was doing a lot of the production I listened to it now and I'm like, oh, that baseline is wrong, or whatever it is, you know,

Chuck Shute: 19:06

right? Yeah. Cuz I feel like most musicians, they they feel that they improve as time goes on. Whereas other people might be like, Oh, they only liked that one song from the one album they did 20 years ago. And that musician doesn't even like that song anymore.

Sam LaChow: 19:22

Yeah, I it is something that I deal with. I because I put out some popular songs back in the day like a song called Banana goo pie. That was about smoking weed. Friday. Yeah, I love that song. But it's just it's just, it's a different time in my life. So yeah, I have a funny relationship with fans when, when someone will come up to me in the street and say, Hey, I'm a big fan of your music. I used to listen to banana goo pie all the time. It's like, I want to take that compliment. But also it's like, Well, do you know that I'm putting out new shit too, because? Oh, yeah,

Chuck Shute: 19:57

and it's way better. Is that hard to get some means that they might be like, hey looks smokeable like right now like then then you're telling

Sam LaChow: 20:04

Yeah, that stuff that stuff over that used to be hard for sure on tour and things like that but now people kind of know but like I so I love when someone comes up to me and they say their fan and that they love my latest song I'm like, I write you release following the shit.

Chuck Shute: 20:22

Yeah, well I think Well lucky left that is that that's one of your I think you have yeah

Sam LaChow: 20:27

lucky lefty and it's to me it's one of my favorite songs I've ever made.

Chuck Shute: 20:31

Yeah cuz I think you've since put out did you put out another album or? Sorry another single uncle birds uncle birds Yeah, I just heard that one today I was like, oh, that's another new one. Yep, I

Sam LaChow: 20:42

just put that one out and then this Thursday at 9pm or technically Friday, I guess. I have my fifth single of the year coming out. So every Yeah, every four weeks a new one. Some will have videos and be promoted more some won't like Lucky lefty was a big song I could tell it was kind of sweat. I I made sure to have a video for that one. Same with I might.

Chuck Shute: 21:08

Yeah, where's the lucky lefty filmed? Because I mean, it obviously looks like Seattle, but which part of it's all

Sam LaChow: 21:14

like in my neighborhood. Okay. And then I think some of it was at a studio in Lake City. And

Chuck Shute: 21:19

it tells a story about what happened because there's boxing gloves on the cover. It was something about you punching some kid in eighth grade or is that just oh no, no.

Sam LaChow: 21:30

I got a lot of fights when I was young. But that song is just sort of about nonsense. It's that song is meant to just be a fun banger. The stuff I'm saying is true. But like there's there's no specific eighth grade fight. But yeah, I got a lot of fights in my younger years. And because I'm left handed, it gave me a huge advantage. Okay, because it's just they don't expect it I guess I don't know. So, but now I pray that I will never get another fight again. I'm too old for that shit, man. I'll fucking pop my shoulder out fuck and I'm in physical therapy right now. I went today from my back you know? It's fighting as a young man's game. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 22:15

so then what do you think I just gotta get your opinion on this and I don't even understand it. You might not understand it more as someone in the business but what is going on with this Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef this is like huge news and everyone's talking about it. My brother said it's he thinks it's a big publicity stunt but what are your thoughts? Um,

Sam LaChow: 22:31

I mean, it's obviously a I don't know about a stunt but like they they're both definitely getting a ton of publicity from it and they know that the that's what comes with this. So I'm assuming they're both going to be dropping some sort of album soon. At least I know Kendrick will. And I think that is kind of interesting because it's it's like a different type of beef than how rap beefs used to be. It used to be more about I don't know the hardest bars and it wasn't so personal. This one got a little depressing to me it was like it's like now just how much personal shit can we dig up from your past? You know? I don't know. It was almost feels like canceled culture style wrapped beef. It's

Chuck Shute: 23:21

it's it kind of reminds me of the Tom Brady rose. Did you watch that?

Sam LaChow: 23:26

I watched clips from it. I saw Tony Hinchcliffe he was hilarious. Yeah.

Chuck Shute: 23:30

I mean, I just I and maybe people were like, oh, no, that's how they're the roast always are. I was like, This one seemed over the top personal like they're talking about his divorce. And he said that it's been so long since they had a rose. But I was like, I mean, it was funny. Don't get me wrong, but I was also I did I would not want to be Tom Brady that night. I mean, they did not hold back. It was crazy. No, they

Sam LaChow: 23:49

really did not. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 23:51

I don't know. Which could you be roasted ever? I don't know if I could I don't know if I can take that. Oh, I

Sam LaChow: 23:55

definitely could. You Yeah, it feels funny for sure. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 24:00

because you don't you're wrapped doesn't it's not you don't start beef with people in the wraps.

Sam LaChow: 24:04

I mean, I would have been like, I and the thing is I'm so vulnerable in my music and like an open book like you could I don't know if you wanted to talk about me being a drug addict. Me being a sex addict me. Whatever. It's all there. Go ahead.

Chuck Shute: 24:23

Yeah, but you wouldn't I don't think anybody would like attack you because you're you seem too nice.

Sam LaChow: 24:29

Nowadays, maybe but I used to have problems a lot of people but you know, I was a drugs and alcohol ran my life. And I was and it fueled my ego and I was I was an asshole for in my early to mid 20s. You know, I was still me at the end, you know, when I was sober, but I definitely I don't like the person I was then. And I think it's I think that's good to know that you're growing, you know? And that's

Chuck Shute: 24:58

amazing because I do a ton of these inner views a lot of other musicians. And a lot of them figure this out and they go through, it's so weird. It's a cycle, they, they get into music, and they get addicted to drugs or alcohol or both or whatever. And then then later they get sober. But usually it's not until they're like 50s or something that and you're figuring this shit out way earlier, which is, I think is really good. Thanks,

Sam LaChow: 25:20

man. That's really dope to hear for real. Yeah, I attribute it to there's a few things that I lost some friends, to the, to the stuff and it kind of sent me down a spiral. So I kind of hit a bottom pretty, pretty early thanks to like, cocaine and meth. If it was if it was only alcohol, then I don't think I would be doing all this self reflecting. At this point, I think I would still be out there, you know, but the cocaine gotten to a point where it was so bad that it was life or death for me, you know? And yeah, I guess I had to either wizened up or, or that was it. And yeah, it's more than just like when all these you know, rock guys rap guys, when it's more than just that they get addicted to drugs and alcohol, I think they get addicted to the attention and feeding their ego and feeding what it is that makes you think you're worthy or, or, you know, it's, you get addicted to outside validation. So like, you know, you surround yourself with people that idolize you, and you do drugs that make you feel bigger and better. And, you know, and you you're on stage with in front of all these people that love your music, but then when you get off stage, you got to keep that high going somehow, you know, that's my two cents on how that works. But

Chuck Shute: 26:54

what about like, helping other people? Like Does that ever? Because to me, that's kind of like a good like, natural Hi, like, even just little things? Oh, yeah, help, you know, help out. Others try to help out as many other podcasters that they can whether, you know, whether they want to get one a guest that I've had and have the contact or, you know, being a guest on their show, or those kinds of things, like do you try to help out younger rappers or,

Sam LaChow: 27:17

Oh, absolutely, I get such a kick out of that. I love giving advice to especially because I I figured out a way to make a living with this stuff. And it's doable, and a lot of people make very simple mistakes early on, and I tried it I love trying to help, you know, the younger generation make sure they own their masters and shit like that. And then when it comes to helping out other alcoholics and addicts that I you know, I don't really like to talk about it because it it makes it seem like I'm doing it for the wrong reasons, but I do a lot of that kind of work.

Chuck Shute: 27:57

What would be the wrong reasons for that? Then

Sam LaChow: 28:00

instead of it being an altruistic thing, it's it's I want to look I want to look good. Like I'm I go speak at these rehab centers or something and I'm not going to post about it like look at me Look how good of a person I am.

Chuck Shute: 28:16

Oh, yeah, I mean, you know, that reminds me of is a is our old quarterback in Seattle Russel Wilson you know, he would always go to the Children's Hospital and he'd always post and actually my brother they had an issue with their their baby and he came it so mean is real like he really does go to the Children's Hospital and volunteers there but absolutely, he does post about he did or he did post about it. Like every time he did it like hey guy, like which I think in a way, if you compare him to like at the time is rival kind of was Colin Kaepernick. And Kaepernick is out there, you know, at the time was with like Lamborghinis and shit. Like, hey, look at me. Well, this is better than just hanging out with Lamborghinis and girls and bikinis, I guess but no, that's a

Sam LaChow: 28:57

good way to put it. Yeah, absolutely. And maybe his, his posting about it is also helping promote the supporting the Children's Hospital. Yeah. So it might have been not just for himself.

Chuck Shute: 29:10

I think we all do that shit on social media, like, oh, yeah, try to judge other people and be like, Oh my god, like you're so narcissistic. Look at your social media. It's like, that's everybody's social media. Unless you have social media, then you can, you know, grow that stone. That

Sam LaChow: 29:25

is like the definition of social media is. Yeah, it's like treating yourself as a brand and like, the SAM show, welcome.

Chuck Shute: 29:34

It's what it is. I mean, but for guys like you and me, like we have to do that. Like, like, if I were my platform to promote my podcast, I pretty much have to use social media. If you want to promote music. I mean, there's very few musicians that are not on social media. Like it's very hard to promote your stuff without it.

Sam LaChow: 29:52

so competitive. It's one of the pros. It's yeah, I used to think of it as sort of the worst part of my job was half seem to be so present on social media. And now it's just part of the job. I guess I don't and I just tried to, uh, yeah, I just try to do it in a way that I can enjoy, you know, and like, for you posting clips from this interview, you know, that can be fun as well. You know, it's

Chuck Shute: 30:18

the frickin editing and all the bullshit. It's like you were saying earlier with your posting, did you say smaller clips of the song or something? Is that what you said would help the Tick Tock algorithm or Yeah, or no,

Sam LaChow: 30:28

it's more, posting the same part of the song over and over and over again until hopefully one of them get like viral. Okay.

Chuck Shute: 30:37

I said, my dream is like to eventually hire someone to do all the editing and all the social media so that I don't have to deal with it. I'm just so tired of social media. Absolutely. It's probably it's so negative. And it's just, I don't know, I just don't want to do any of that stuff anymore. I just want to do podcasts. I want to do interviews. I like doing the research. I like learning about yet listen to a bunch of interviews, listen to your music, and learning about like, immersing myself in the guest, and then having a really hopefully good discussion about it.

Sam LaChow: 31:06

Yeah, that's great. Now you're and you're great at it. Thank you. Absolutely. What book is, that? Can't can't hurt me. Yeah, is that David Goggins? Oh, it is him. Yeah. Oh, God,

Chuck Shute: 31:19

I love David Goggins. Like, I need that guy. Like in my head. 24/7 Yeah, I just and that's what I have you found that that's helped you because I've found that that's really helped me with mental health stuff is just having those people in my ear. That's one thing with YouTube is positive for me is I listened to the David Goggins and Andy for Sela and like, all these like motivational guys, and it just like pumps me up, because I'll just get lazy are like, all feel like, Oh my God, why am I doing this? Nobody cares. And then I listen to those guys. And I go, Okay, I gotta, I gotta get to work here. Absolutely.

Sam LaChow: 31:59

I listen to that kind of stuff, too. And especially like, I listen to a lot of like, people that are like Mike Tyson and Steve Oh, and people that have lived crazy lives, but are now sober. The other side because Mike Tyson's over. Well, besides weed, yeah, he hasn't done but he used to be a huge coke addict. Okay, he's been clean off that for years and years. And he's doing so well now. And he has he has podcasts. I highly recommend listening to him there.

Chuck Shute: 32:23

Yeah, he's, he's, he's fun. Yeah, I've got a little bit of him a little bit of Steve. Uh, yeah. Steve. Oh, especially that. And not just drugs. Like the guy was just put his body at risk of all the stunts and shit. He did. I don't think he does the stunts and stuff as much anymore does. Yeah.

Sam LaChow: 32:37

And he's super driven. I think you know, because he's an addict. I think he's probably addicted to the work is. But it's a better addiction than drugs, you know?

Chuck Shute: 32:48

Yeah. And he does a lot of like, stuff with dogs. I think he helps dogs. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. That's really cool. Do you, you your dog, your dogs? Devon, right. Is that? Yeah. Yeah, you just have one dog.

Sam LaChow: 33:02

I just have one dog. He's my first dog. Yeah. Never had a dog before and he is just the best thing ever. Can you see you can't see him now, but because

Chuck Shute: 33:11

Black Lives.

Sam LaChow: 33:13

He's a technically a Labradoodle, I guess, but he hasn't looked like one.

Chuck Shute: 33:19

Okay, yeah, cuz I feel like that's another thing too. For me. I never had pets. My parents wouldn't allow it. So I didn't. So I was like, 30. So it was kind of weird. And then I got a cat. And I was like, Oh, this is like kind of cool to have a pet. It's

Sam LaChow: 33:31

yeah, we were always moving around from apartment to apartment with my family. And I wanted a dog so bad. But now I understand why we couldn't you know, we couldn't afford that shit. But um, but back then I was pissed. I wanted one so bad.

Chuck Shute: 33:46

Yeah, it's, I feel like it's almost like bad parenting to not let your kid have a pet. And it's always works like, then you go to your friend's houses, and they would have a dog or cat. And then you're just like, you thought it was like for me? I was like, so uncomfortable around animals because I wasn't used to them. So I was like, Oh, why is this dog jumping up on me what's going on? And so it's like, it's one of those things like but if you live with it, you're just so used to it. Yeah,

Sam LaChow: 34:10

I'm so used to it but then there will be times where I'll look at him like like lying on my couch and it'd be like how fucking trippy is it is a canine living in my human home right now

Chuck Shute: 34:23

on my cat will be running around like a like crazy I'm just like it's so weird to have this like wild animal. Yeah, like basically it's what it is. It's like a

Sam LaChow: 34:31

tiger in your

Chuck Shute: 34:34

Yeah, I gotta get a dog one of these. They want to get a house I want a bigger yard than I want to. I want to get a dog.

Sam LaChow: 34:39

Yeah, yard or yard really helps. I have to take this guy out of the park. It's only three blocks away, which is nice, but like, multiple times a day at random. But it's it's almost as much for me as it is for him. Just to get me out and you know, bring a book or something. It's so nice. Ya

Chuck Shute: 34:57

know, that is good. That's one thing I've started doing Hey, tubes. I'm Alyssa Andy for Sela guy. And he has this thing called the 75. Hard. And so like you're supposed to do, it's 75 days in a row, which is like insane. And it's like part of it is like 245 minute workouts. So it's like I go to the gym. Well, my second workout, I'm like, Okay, I'm just gonna walk. I count that. I don't know if that counts, but I count it. And I'm looking great. Yeah, it's so good for me and I put a podcast on or something. And I'm like, this is guy just walk around my condos and it's like, amazing. Yeah.

Sam LaChow: 35:28

Do you what are you dieting and shit?

Chuck Shute: 35:31

Yeah, I'm trying to do all that shit. Yeah, I've been I've been trying to. I'm trying to try to eat clean. Like I try to eat just like, I had this guy on my podcast. Brian Sanders and he's got this show coming out. I think it's gonna be on Netflix. Eventually it's called Food lies. But it's all it's all about. Like all the marketing and all the shit that goes on with the food industry. It's like so evil like all the diet food is just a total scam. Basically, it boils down to like eating real food. So I try to do that I try to eat like steak, chicken veggies as much like the least processed food that you can that's what I try to mostly focus on.

Sam LaChow: 36:06

Yeah, I'm on the same shit right now. I sometimes for like before a tour. I'll try to go a month with like, little to no carbs. Just to try to get slimmed down.

Chuck Shute: 36:18

In your song. You said you love carbs. I did. I do

Sam LaChow: 36:22

that so much. And that they are my weakness. That's exactly what it is.

Chuck Shute: 36:27

I think that's that's okay. Sometimes I love Italian food. Garlic. God, me too. It's so good. I mean, I wish it wasn't bad for you. But I think it's okay. Moderation apps. It's

Sam LaChow: 36:38

anything's Okay, moderation. Yeah. Or tacos.

Chuck Shute: 36:41

Oh, there's so many good taco places in Arizona. It's like

Sam LaChow: 36:44

I bet. Oh, yeah. You're any man. I miss Arizona. Have you been here? Yeah, bunch. I have a lot of friends there. And I just missed i i know it's crazy hot but I missed that crazy heat. I like it kind of. And I'll definitely be going there on this tour next tour in the fall. So we should definitely link up. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 37:05

where what venues do typically you would you play like the mark key or

Sam LaChow: 37:09

I won't? I'm not going to know unless I look it up. But I'm sure you can look up like Sam le Chow, Phoenix or sandwich out Tempe. And you'll find wherever I played. I don't remember.

Chuck Shute: 37:19

Okay. But so you'll come you'll come back in the fall. And then how does that work? Yeah,

Sam LaChow: 37:24

I'm definitely doing Phoenix. Maybe one other spot in AZ I don't remember though.

Chuck Shute: 37:29

That's awesome. Would you just have a DJ typically? Or do you have like some live musicians because your music has a lot of like, musicians on the songs

Sam LaChow: 37:38

depends what I can. On the budget pretty much you know, I love I love bringing a band. It's so fun. But um, I've gotten really good at if it's just just me, a DJ and a singer. Ideally one instrumentalist as well to take some solos and the singer can takes it takes the tension off me for so I can get breaks. And I've gotten really good at I can put on a good show, whether it's just me or if I have a whole group. You know, I've been doing it a while. And I pride myself in that now.

Chuck Shute: 38:14

Yeah, do you take the girl that you did the songs with on tours at a different person?

Sam LaChow: 38:18

Yeah, yeah. So yeah, she's that I've been doing the latest songs with her name is gravy day. She's also my manager. So she was my manager before I even knew she could sing which is funny. So

Chuck Shute: 38:32

super talented. I'm surprised she doesn't have more followers or whatever. Because like,

Sam LaChow: 38:36

she's she's about to start putting out her own stuff. I'm excited. Yeah, cuz

Chuck Shute: 38:40

it's really that's what's cool about your music is it's uh, I mean, yeah, it's wrapped but you have like, you know, female vocalist and you have like jazz elements. And yeah, different music. I love it.

Sam LaChow: 38:52

Yeah, that's what I've always liked to do is is sort of genre meld.

Chuck Shute: 38:59

Yeah, I mean, so that does that. When you when you look at your fan base, that's because you have that you got to have that hardcore fan base. I don't know how many people it is. But that just love everything you put out? Yeah, is a lot of your hardcore fan base. They that's, I'm assuming that's what they love about you. Is that the eclectic style of music that you put out?

Sam LaChow: 39:17

Exactly. They get excited every time I release something new because they have no idea what it's going to sound like. You know, I know a lot of especially in rap artists that were I don't really like I remember Kanye West in his in his prime was like, I was so excited for whatever he was going to drop next because it might be some weird ass shit. It might be. Yes. Like it was so exciting. You know?

Chuck Shute: 39:41

Yeah. Do you remember that song? He did. I heard this the other day. I think it was like a background for like a tick tock or something. And I go what is an Ask my girlfriend? What is this song and we only heard she only heard like the first two notes but remember the one where he's like hitting the piano? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. She said the first time she heard it was like an award show or something. And she's like, Oh god, he's like lost it because he's just going. Yeah. And then all of a sudden it kicks into the song and it's like, it's a badass song. Yeah, he really uh, he's a weird guy. I don't know. I don't agree everything he says, politically or whatever, but like musically, he does have some chops. I will say,

Sam LaChow: 40:17

Oh, yes. So creative. And there's not enough of that, especially in hip hop in my opinion. But uh, yeah, I pride myself in every time I release something new you're you don't. It's not gonna sound like my last one. And yeah, different incident different instruments. Different vocal is different. Different styles. And yeah, that's what my fans expect. And it's what, it's how I continue to grow and evolve.

Chuck Shute: 40:47

Do you ever collaborate with any other Seattle musicians like some of the old school, Seattle people? Like when I was a kid, I'm older than you, but like, Sir Mix A Lot. He was like, and everyone just thinks like, he's like, the big buck guy. But his first album, I think, was just called swass. And it had like, buttermilk biscuits and square. And all these songs that were huge. I thought they were big songs to everybody. But apparently it was like only to Seattle kids, but we all love that stuff.

Sam LaChow: 41:15

Oh, I'm a huge fan for sure. But no, yeah, I would love to collaborate with him one day, that'd be crazy. But um, No, I've never even met the dude. I don't think maybe maybe. Sometime, but um, I couldn't know. But I collaborate with a ton of Seattle people Seattle's not really what it used to be though, like, as far as a scene because of Amazon and shit. You know? It's like, it's gotten so like we used to used to be all musicians and us running around the Capitol Hill nightlife scene, and, you know, we're all kicking it together all the time. And now that it's been it's, it's all transplants, you know, it's just it's sort of a different city. But it's fine for me because I don't go out anyway.

Chuck Shute: 41:58

Yeah, what about what's your relationship with Macklemore? There's some sort of connection there, wasn't it?

Sam LaChow: 42:03

Oh, yeah. He's good, homie. And he, we talk about sobriety struggles and stuff. And he's given me a lot of good wisdom because there's not a lot of people I can talk to that, that um, deal with. In the triggers there in the industry, you know, like studio, the studio, working with people there's alcohol and blow everywhere. You know, it's a really it can be a really triggering place. Concerts when you're playing shows the green room, it can be really triggering place. He's given me lots of advice on you know, how to control your green room. What?

Chuck Shute: 42:41

How do you do that? That would be a good tip to share with people. I

Sam LaChow: 42:45

mean, you just tell them I just, I tell them. Having beer in the greenroom is fine because that's for me. I'm not a beer drinker. I'm a vodka drinker. And I want my band to be able to drink if they want but um no hard liquor in the greenroom. No, and if Yeah, and if people are going to do coke don't do in front of me that's my rule. Hide that shit. I was able to hide that shit for years so I know you can

Chuck Shute: 43:14

Yeah, I think that's a fair rule that's that doesn't sound too extreme

Sam LaChow: 43:17

yeah nothing extreme because I

Chuck Shute: 43:20

don't make your the people that you work with you don't make them be sober you just see them you don't want to see them do it in front of you because then you get

Sam LaChow: 43:27

tempted I don't want to see them do coke in front of me because I'll all my mouth will start fucking salivating like literally but

Chuck Shute: 43:34

really is addicted I'm See I've never tried I guess that's a good thing I've heard it's amazing that's from people that have done it and like don't ever do it because it's like amazing. Yeah,

Sam LaChow: 43:43

I mean the the one thing that's that's good about it I mean that's that's the wrong way to phrase it but is it there's no real withdrawal. So getting off it is like because I've had to get off benzos before and those who it was the most difficult experience ever maybe you know for me and

Chuck Shute: 44:02

you can experience that even with alcohol if you have a heavy night. Then you the next day you wake up and you can get like the shakes and stuff. Oh, that is yeah, that

Sam LaChow: 44:11

shakes and you don't and the only way to cure it is more alcohol. It's evil

Chuck Shute: 44:15

or a benzo or benzo

Sam LaChow: 44:17

yeah and benzos benzos I was only taken to come down from a coke you know, and I didn't I didn't realize I was addicted so when I stopped taking them, I just thought I was going crazy. I was paranoid I couldn't leave my house. I was agoraphobic as fuck it was it was fucked up. And and then I finally learned I was like taking vitamins hoping those would help. Those don't help at all.

Chuck Shute: 44:40

What about CBD? Does that help at all like my dad swears by that and also like micro dosing mushrooms which is

Sam LaChow: 44:46

crazy that how that stuff is supposed to really help a lot with like, depression and stuff like that. That's not going to help with a withdrawal withdrawal. That's a chemical thing that you got to you got to wean off them.

Chuck Shute: 44:58

Right but I think Kennett, like Take you kind of like outside of yourself so that you can see your problems from the outside looking in and then you can go Oh, like, Why was I worried about that shit? Like ketamine I hear the same thing. Yeah. If you're doing it like within a doctor, not just like some dude on the street gives you ketamine, but like, there's ketamine therapy, where you can take that, and then it can help you look at your problems in a different way.

Sam LaChow: 45:22

Yeah, absolutely. I'm open to all that stuff. And I don't judge anyone for that's one of the things also with AAA for me. And everyone's different, but I don't judge anyone if they're, if they still smoke weed as long or if they take mushrooms or whatever it is. Because, like, if it's helping them and they're staying clean off the shit that was ruining their lives, then more power to them, you know?

Chuck Shute: 45:48

Yeah, I mean, yeah. Because they I guess you could abuse that stuff as well. Like, it's just yeah,

Sam LaChow: 45:53

but if it's not ruining their lives, and they have it under control. I personally, don't think that I can dabble with anything really? Because it'll eventually spiral. But yeah, you never know what the future holds.

Chuck Shute: 46:07

Yeah. What about? So you said you do walks, but do you do any like, like exercise like gym stuff, like weightlifting or cardio? Yeah,

Sam LaChow: 46:16

I tried to now. But I've been, I had an ACL tear. And now I have this back thing that I'm dealing with. So it's been it's been preventing me from really getting to work out but I'm not I go to a gym, and but I suck it at working out a loan with without someone telling me what to do. So I have a person way. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 46:36

I have a trainer too. And they're always telling me I'm doing everything wrong. trainer, I can't do it. Like, you're doing that wrong. And I'm like, I feel like learning disability like schools, and I'm like, Why can't this kid read? But that's me at the gym. I can't do perform. Right? I don't know. It's hard. Yeah.

Sam LaChow: 46:55

I've always been somewhat athletic. When I was a kid and shit. So I'm, I'm pretty good at picking up on the things but I need someone there to. Otherwise I'll stop at 10 reps, you know, and they, you know, they, I won't do I'll do one set of every exercise, but so I need somebody to make me do a few of them. So I'm a trainer. Two days a week right now. I might do I might do it more. We'll see.

Chuck Shute: 47:22

Yeah, I feel like that's for me. That's like, kind of like, I need something to focus on. And if I don't have anything if I don't want podcasts or do or something, then I just start going on social media and I start wasting time and then I'm

Sam LaChow: 47:33

just Yeah, that's a big Yeah, Stan, you call that like rabbit

Chuck Shute: 47:37

hole where you go down and you start you feel worthless? Cuz you're like, Well, I just wasted a bunch of time. And now my god dammit, like 1,000%

Sam LaChow: 47:45

if I like, you know, I wake up at like, 1pm or something. And my first thought is, well, I already fucked the day up. I may as well just order UberEATS and Netflix all day and just fuck myself.

Chuck Shute: 47:58

Yeah, sometimes you need those days, though, too. Oh,

Sam LaChow: 48:01

100%. But I try to save those days for like, Saturday or Sunday.

Chuck Shute: 48:06

Right? Yeah, I try to I think I just try to schedule things as much as I can like my scheduled podcasts or appointments. Because then I know, I'm good about that. I'm like, I won't miss an appointment, cuz I'll feel guilty. But like, I'll talk myself over all the time. Like, I'll be like, Oh, absolutely.

Sam LaChow: 48:23

No, absolutely. That's one of the reasons that I'm even in physical therapy right now, like, low key, I could probably I could do the stretches at home, but I like having the structure gives me and same with getting a personal trainer. I don't want to bail on her, you know. And so like, yeah, just give me stuff to do every day. It helps a time you got to stay busy. And then that's why AAA meetings are nice, too. Because, um, or any whatever you're doing, it gives you a, it gives you something to do at night, or for me gives me something to do at night, which is kind of when I get restless and irritable. And it distracts me from that. And then next thing I know it's 10pm and I can start getting ready for bed you know?

Chuck Shute: 49:07

Yeah, isn't that part of the whole a thing is like, they want you to get off the alcohol and drugs and then get kind of addicted to the meetings like you're supposed to, like get really into it and go all the time. Some people go to like two a day or something right?

Sam LaChow: 49:20

Yeah, yeah. Because it's it becomes your social life in a way it can. Like in the same way that I used to go to the bar every night. No everyone there now it's kind of like that for me with meetings. I have a different one for every night and I'll know a few people there and you know, have some laughs and then but then also here's some wisdom that I needed.

Chuck Shute: 49:42

What some good wisdom that you've heard

Sam LaChow: 49:45

too much. There's just so much I guess the latest one that I that I heard like literally yesterday was my my sponsor told me he said Because I would romanticize drugs and alcohol as like as it being this chaotic party where you don't know what's going to happen who you know, it's like, it's wild and crazy, but in reality, it's very predictable. So he basically just so he basically just said, If I stay sober, I have no idea what's going to happen tomorrow. If I drink and use I know exactly where I'll be tomorrow. Yeah,

Chuck Shute: 50:27

that's how I was just that reminds me of a line that my friend You say that when he got sober, he would say he told me the same thing. Similar kind of wisdom. He's like, he's like, there's nothing you could tell me that happened at a bar last night that I haven't seen before. He's like, you'll never you'll never guess what happened to the bar last night. He's like, I can guess it. I've seen it all. I've seen everything that's happened at a bar. There's nothing you can tell me. Anything? Yeah. So think the same way. Like, oh, no, if I don't go out, I'll miss out. And it's like, you're not missing anything.

Sam LaChow: 50:55

I'm missing anything here. You won't believe what happened to the party last night?

Chuck Shute: 50:59

I'll believe it. Believe it. Yeah, I've heard it all. It's all happened.

Sam LaChow: 51:03

I believe you, man. Totally believe.

Chuck Shute: 51:06

Yeah, no, you're not missing anything with that shit. Like, I think it's way more to me. Like it's like those natural highs, like you said, like being with your dog. And putting out a song that people like and touching a fan like in that way we're fans like, tells you that your music touched them and was like really inspirational to them. Like that is the cool shit that drugs and alcohol will never get you that high. Yeah, absolutely.

Sam LaChow: 51:29

And that is another thing I struggle with too is is when I'm not feeling motivated. My mind starts going towards shit. Should I be Should I take Adderall? Do I need code? Do I need something some sort of stimulant to get me to be motivated, you know, and that can be a slippery slope too. So it's yeah, it's all about finding a balance between work and inner peace and just trying to it's not it'll never end You know, it's an ongoing, for

Chuck Shute: 51:56

sure. I definitely I always put on like a Goggins or something. If I'm not if I'm not feeling motivated, or if I'm feeling like worthless or down. I'm just like, Alright, I'm just gonna like re brainwash myself. I'm listening to Goggins and Andy Rozelle and all these guys that yeah, he's the strong men that just yell at me. Like when I was a kid, I yelled at, and now I love getting yelled at. I want you to be on it. That's

Sam LaChow: 52:17

fine. I'm different. I like more Zen types. I like Eckhart Tolle.

Chuck Shute: 52:24

The familiar with that.

Sam LaChow: 52:26

I mean, yeah, if you want to give his it's an insanely popular book. It's called the power of now. And it's just, it's, it's it just explains to you why all of your worries Don't fucking matter. And it puts it in a way that you're like, oh, god damn, yeah. What, why? What am I trippin about? And that kind of stuff. It's a little on the lines of like Buddhist teachings. But um, it just makes so much sense to me.

Chuck Shute: 52:53

I will have to check Eckhart Tolle said, yeah,

Sam LaChow: 52:56

the power of now is what his most popular book but he has a bunch of YouTube videos, you can just EC K, H, AR T and the T O L L. E. Oh,

Chuck Shute: 53:07

definitely check that out. Yeah, I one time. My brother did this thing. And he talked to me. And so like, I decided I was going to do it too. It's like this 10 day retreat, where you learn how to meditate and you don't talk to anybody. You don't have your phone for 10 days. And it was first things I've ever done in my life.

Sam LaChow: 53:22

But you did it.

Chuck Shute: 53:23

I did it. Yeah. I mean, I, I couldn't really learn the technique very well. But I followed all the rules. And I didn't cheat. I didn't use my phone or anything, didn't talk to anybody. It was very just that part of it was very difficult. But like the teacher was like, Oh, you have monkey mind. You can't focus on meditation. It's very difficult.

Sam LaChow: 53:40

It's so difficult. Yeah, meditation is something I really want to practice more and become part of my regular routine. But um, it's definitely not right now. You know, I'll do like five minutes a day for two days in a row thinking I'm killing it and then just stop.

Chuck Shute: 54:01

Yeah, I just for me, it's the exercise. I feel like that is my meditation plan where I put my phone while I mean, if I'm walking, I guess I listen to podcasts. But especially when I'm at the gym, I put my phone away and I just focus on doing the reps and being in the moment. Because if I don't, I'm gonna drop a bunch of heavy weight or whatever. But I think walking you can meditate by just, you know, just thinking about the movements of your feet, like okay, you know, left foot right foot left, and just like just being in the moment. Yeah, it's definitely a skill to practice. Yeah,

Sam LaChow: 54:31

absolutely. Walking my dog is like that for sure. Just focusing on feeling the wind hit your face and, and just the sounds around you and nothing else. And it's hard but

Chuck Shute: 54:44

yeah, yeah, definitely. You got to get some sunshine. You got to come down to Arizona. It's I know.

Sam LaChow: 54:50

Absolutely. Hopefully I'll come before before fall, but we'll see. Awesome.

Chuck Shute: 54:55

All right. Well, the new music is I mean your latest singles The uncle birds This is our latest single,

Sam LaChow: 55:01

but this Friday is going to be called Happy music. And it's a song about basically, my little cousin a couple years back told me that he he had to stop listening to my music because it was too depressing. And yeah, because I was talking, you know, I was in the midst of bad addiction, and I was just talking about my life it was, and because that's what was real for me. And that's, that's, that's what I talked about. But you know, him being so closely related to me and like, it was too hard for him to hear. And it kind of inspired me to make a song about it's about the the hope that one day my music will go back to being happy. And you know, hope more hopeful and less. Yeah, less, yet less depressed sounding I guess. Because that's, that's, that's where I was. And I'm in a better place now. So yeah,

Chuck Shute: 55:59

that's awesome. To hear it. Yeah, that's great. I mean, I think it's great. You're, you're figuring all this shit out way before most people do. Like, like I said, most of the people aren't gonna figure this out until they're in their 40s and 50s. And you're gonna be way ahead of the curve. So that's cool. Yeah, just keep going with this and keep going with the music. I love it. I can't wait to hear new music and I can't wait to see you. Let me know when you're in Arizona.

Sam LaChow: 56:22

Absolutely, man. And also definitely send you the song or I guess it comes down a couple of days. So you'll be able to hear it. But if you want to remind me in an email or whatever, I'll I'll send you the song right now. Okay, man, so yeah, so great to meet you. And fucking we're in Arizona. Do you

Chuck Shute: 56:38

live? Like South Scottsdale? It's like, Absolutely. I've been there yet. Yeah. And I'm right near all the frickin clubs. And I hate it. I want to move north Scottsdale is a lot more like peaceful and, like, that's where my parents live. It's like there's nature out there. It's like it's definitely where I want to go. So that's where I'm hopefully headed. But for now, it's like it's kind of convenient. Cuz I'm close the airport and like a lot of stuff. So hell yeah. Yeah. Cool. So all right. I'll see you in the fall, man.

Sam LaChow: 57:03

I'll see you in the fall. Great to meet you.

Chuck Shute: 57:05

Nice to meet you. Yeah, have a good one.